A new dash - there is no substitute!
01-15-2003 | 06:42 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 2
From: Alabama
A new dash - there is no substitute!
Just completed the new dash install and took her out for a drive.
Still have a few screws to tighten and will be putting out small fires for a while (ie. a couple of broken trim pieces).
No squeaks from the dash itself, but the center air vents have a rattle (should be easily fixed).
Overall, the job was not extremely difficult, but was very time consuming. I did the install over the course of several days, and even at a leisurely pace uttered quite a few profanities and skinned a few knuckles.
As might be expected, the problems were encountered in areas with which I had little familiarity (steering wheel trim, some wiring harnesses). If I had to do it over again (God forbid!) it would all go a lot faster.
If you do the dash yourself, you MUST have a system to keep track of all the screws & fasteners. I used plastic baggies and labels.
Also, I would STRONGLY recommend that you take a ton of digital photos during the process. They come in handy later on, when you are trying to figure out exactly how that bracket was attached...or where that odd wire went.
The appearance of the new dash is 100% better. I had been using a coverlay, but nothing beats the look of a clean factory dash.
Next up: the seats!
<img src="http://gallery.rennlist.com/albums/albun28/newdash1.jpg" alt=" - " />
Still have a few screws to tighten and will be putting out small fires for a while (ie. a couple of broken trim pieces).
No squeaks from the dash itself, but the center air vents have a rattle (should be easily fixed).
Overall, the job was not extremely difficult, but was very time consuming. I did the install over the course of several days, and even at a leisurely pace uttered quite a few profanities and skinned a few knuckles.
As might be expected, the problems were encountered in areas with which I had little familiarity (steering wheel trim, some wiring harnesses). If I had to do it over again (God forbid!) it would all go a lot faster.
If you do the dash yourself, you MUST have a system to keep track of all the screws & fasteners. I used plastic baggies and labels.
Also, I would STRONGLY recommend that you take a ton of digital photos during the process. They come in handy later on, when you are trying to figure out exactly how that bracket was attached...or where that odd wire went.
The appearance of the new dash is 100% better. I had been using a coverlay, but nothing beats the look of a clean factory dash.
Next up: the seats!
<img src="http://gallery.rennlist.com/albums/albun28/newdash1.jpg" alt=" - " />
01-15-2003 | 06:47 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 903
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
That's beautiful, man. My dash is black, so it might not help at all, but I have alots of trim pieces left from parting mine out if you need some. Or maybe yours is black... I thought you got a brown one for some reason.
01-15-2003 | 08:12 PM
#5
Race Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,781
Likes: 0
From: Costa Mesa, California
Great job! Think about the early days of car repair where we didn't have digital cameras.
Did you get any detail shots of the lower part of the windshield before you put the new dash in????
Trying to figure out if the windshield spacer will work on the early body.
Did you get any detail shots of the lower part of the windshield before you put the new dash in????
Trying to figure out if the windshield spacer will work on the early body.
Trending Topics
01-15-2003 | 09:37 PM
#9
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 57
From: Victoria BC
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by TarHeel 944S:
<strong>looks great - my eyes may be decieving me but is that water on the guage cover??</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Probably tears! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
<strong>looks great - my eyes may be decieving me but is that water on the guage cover??</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Probably tears! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
01-15-2003 | 11:09 PM
#10
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
From: Auburn, AL
man, I want a new dash <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />
<img border="0" alt="[offtopic]" title="" src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" /> sean, I'm almost done with my car. I have a few more exhaust things to do tomorrow and then it will be all done. I'll have a garage sale on rennlist soon for all the old parts. <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" />
<img border="0" alt="[offtopic]" title="" src="graemlins/offtopic.gif" /> sean, I'm almost done with my car. I have a few more exhaust things to do tomorrow and then it will be all done. I'll have a garage sale on rennlist soon for all the old parts. <img border="0" alt="[blabla]" title="" src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" />
01-16-2003 | 12:21 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 2
From: Alabama
Thanks for the comments everyone!
Danger, I will drop you an email about those parts I will need. Your parts should be fine - although my dash is brown, the trim stuff is black.
SOCal, just emailed you some photos of the windshield trim.
Actually, that stuff on the gauge cluster is loose foam. Underneath the dash (particularly along the ventilation system) there is a lot of soft foamy stuff that is dry and brittle. Not sure what purpose it could be serving now, other than to break loose and scatter all over your interior. I took this photo right after cranking the car for the first time post-dash, so a lot of that stuff blew out everywhere.
I must say that this new dash is the best cosmetic "upgrade" I have yet done to the car. The old dash was beyond hope, and this replacement is showroom quality. More photos on the way... <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
Danger, I will drop you an email about those parts I will need. Your parts should be fine - although my dash is brown, the trim stuff is black.
SOCal, just emailed you some photos of the windshield trim.
Actually, that stuff on the gauge cluster is loose foam. Underneath the dash (particularly along the ventilation system) there is a lot of soft foamy stuff that is dry and brittle. Not sure what purpose it could be serving now, other than to break loose and scatter all over your interior. I took this photo right after cranking the car for the first time post-dash, so a lot of that stuff blew out everywhere.
I must say that this new dash is the best cosmetic "upgrade" I have yet done to the car. The old dash was beyond hope, and this replacement is showroom quality. More photos on the way... <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
01-16-2003 | 02:20 AM
#12
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by DangerIsland:
My dash is black, so it might not help at all, but I have alots of trim pieces left from parting mine out if you need some.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">FWIW, I think a lot of the trim pieces are the same dark brown in cars with black dashes. I just replaced my clock and the piece of trim it fits in; Al at PartsHeaven didn't even have to ask what color interior I have.
Looks great, Sean.
It reminds me that I have some seedling dash cracks to snuff out!
My dash is black, so it might not help at all, but I have alots of trim pieces left from parting mine out if you need some.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">FWIW, I think a lot of the trim pieces are the same dark brown in cars with black dashes. I just replaced my clock and the piece of trim it fits in; Al at PartsHeaven didn't even have to ask what color interior I have.
Looks great, Sean.
It reminds me that I have some seedling dash cracks to snuff out!
01-16-2003 | 03:36 AM
#14
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
From: Portland, OR
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by MicahJones:
<strong>Did you get the digital clock new? How did the replacement go?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I got a used one for less than I was anticipating: US$50. No friggin way is $300 going to a new clock. For that much, I could get a better stereo with a clock that I don't have to punch a button to see instead.
Funny you should ask how the replacement went. This is my second clock-replacement, so I figured it would be a breeze.
I was able to get the climate brain screws out without removing the slider *****. They've been superglued on, you see, so that was kinda nice.
The damn clock wouldn't work unless I put pressure on the back of it. I tightened the connectors and made sure they were making contact, but it still wouldn't work. *@^$#!! This extended the job by an order of magnitude, but I ended up stuffing a length of heater hose in the dash to put pressure on the back of the clock to keep it operational. We'll see if it holds.
Apparently, I've been misleading the list; the clock bulb is NOT the same 300mw headlight switch bulb, it's 1200mw. I'm still looking for the 300mw bulb.
The new trim piece has a much more matte finish than the rest of my dash, but I guess that's how the whole car looked in the showroom. Nothing a little Armor All can't fix, I suppose. Observation/microscopic quibble: the new dash piece does not have the silkscreened icons (open circle/closed circle) for the vent slider. It was US$45.
I've also (hopefully, the RTV is still "V-ing") plugged up my balance shaft leak, cleaned up and dielectric-greased every spade in the fusebox, and determined that my underhood light fixture's mercury switch is shot. There's a hood pin switch for the mostly-removed factory alarm that I could maybe use for that function....
That just leaves the center sunroof microswitch, and then I'm "done." <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />
<strong>Did you get the digital clock new? How did the replacement go?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I got a used one for less than I was anticipating: US$50. No friggin way is $300 going to a new clock. For that much, I could get a better stereo with a clock that I don't have to punch a button to see instead.
Funny you should ask how the replacement went. This is my second clock-replacement, so I figured it would be a breeze.
I was able to get the climate brain screws out without removing the slider *****. They've been superglued on, you see, so that was kinda nice.
The damn clock wouldn't work unless I put pressure on the back of it. I tightened the connectors and made sure they were making contact, but it still wouldn't work. *@^$#!! This extended the job by an order of magnitude, but I ended up stuffing a length of heater hose in the dash to put pressure on the back of the clock to keep it operational. We'll see if it holds.
Apparently, I've been misleading the list; the clock bulb is NOT the same 300mw headlight switch bulb, it's 1200mw. I'm still looking for the 300mw bulb.
The new trim piece has a much more matte finish than the rest of my dash, but I guess that's how the whole car looked in the showroom. Nothing a little Armor All can't fix, I suppose. Observation/microscopic quibble: the new dash piece does not have the silkscreened icons (open circle/closed circle) for the vent slider. It was US$45.
I've also (hopefully, the RTV is still "V-ing") plugged up my balance shaft leak, cleaned up and dielectric-greased every spade in the fusebox, and determined that my underhood light fixture's mercury switch is shot. There's a hood pin switch for the mostly-removed factory alarm that I could maybe use for that function....
That just leaves the center sunroof microswitch, and then I'm "done." <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />
01-16-2003 | 09:37 AM
#15
Professor of Pending Projects
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 9,891
Likes: 23
From: Orlando, FL
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Sean:
<strong>... Next up: the seats! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva"><img border="0" alt="[nono]" title="" src="graemlins/nono.gif" />
Next up is a write up, with photos, for the rest of us to use when we get ready to perform the same task!!
<img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />
Great job!! Looks sweet!!
<strong>... Next up: the seats! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva"><img border="0" alt="[nono]" title="" src="graemlins/nono.gif" />
Next up is a write up, with photos, for the rest of us to use when we get ready to perform the same task!!
<img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> Great job!! Looks sweet!!